Net metering is a way for you to connect your small wind turbine behind the meter at your home, business or farm. This system is designed to allow energy generated at your home farm or business to offset some or all of the electricity you use. If your generator is producing more electricity than you can consume the excess is sold back to the utility. The price that a project receives for the excess electricity varies from state to state and from utility to utility.
Many states have property tax incentives for wind energy.
Look for more information on the DSIRE web site.
Renewable Electricity Standards (also called Renewable Portfolio Standards) are among the stronger policies used today by states seeking to encourage renewable energy development.
Learn more through the Union of Concerned Scientists' Renewable Electricity Standards Toolkit.
Overview
The Clean Renewable Energy Bond (CREB) program is a new financial incentive created in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It is available to municipal utilities and electric cooperatives and is intended to promote renewable energy development.
The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program was first established in the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000 and was later amended in the 2002 Farm Bill. Grant funds are available for planning activities and working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based energy. Independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures are eligible.
Double-declining balance, five-year depreciation schedule (I.R.C. Subtitle A, Ch. 1, Subch. B, Part VI, Sec. 168 (1994) (accelerated cost recovery system)) is another federal policy that encourages wind development by allowing the cost of wind equipment to be depreciated faster.
